The American Lottery returns, application rules change

The American Diversity Visa Lottery program is expected to return after applications were suspended in January, while US authorities have announced a series of new changes that will take effect from April 10

According to the US Department of State, the new rules will apply starting with the 2027 program and include additional measures for applicant verification and increased security in the process

One of the main changes is the introduction of a symbolic fee of 1 dollar per application with no exceptions. Applicants will also be required to upload a valid passport and a scan of the biographical and signature page in the electronic form

The changes aim to reduce cases of falsified documents and improve applicant identification. Authorities will be able to more easily verify eligibility based on country of birth and connections to countries with low acceptance rates

Applicants must still have completed high school or an equivalent. For married applicants, it is mandatory to include information about the spouse and all children under 21 years old, including adopted children or those from previous marriages

There will also be stricter checks to prevent sham marriages, with selected applicants required to provide documentation and proof of the relationship

It is noted that the previous suspension affected processing for 75 countries, impacting various visa categories including the Diversity Visa Lottery program

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